This Line Between Us
by Heartbroken Love
Summary: No matter what... there'll always be that one line between them... DMHG Yes, I know. I suck at summaries.
1. Songs

**Our Song **

From their common room, Hermione sat, listening to the falling rain as Malfoy sat in a far corner, writing something unknown to the outside world. Sighing, Hermione started to hum, a made up tune that she found from the top of her head at the spur of the moment. Catching on, Malfoy hummed a matching tune, as though their hums were from a written song, and rehearsed many times.

"Granger, not bad for a Mudblood…" Malfoy drawled.

"You're not bad for the slimy Slytherin Pureblood you are, Draco Malfoy, But I'd rather sing alone and be lonely than spend this New Year's day sitting here, singing with you while you work on… whatever you're working on." Hermione shot back, in a slicing tone, putting Malfoy's supposedly cold heart to shame with her freezing tone.

"Well, well, well. Weren't you ever taught any manners? You're not supposed to snap at your superiors. Your attitude doesn't match your name at all. Hermione, in Greek, that means Harmony. It's not a wonder why you never have a boyfriend, no bloke with half a brain would even look at you and not taunt you. Harmony isn't exactly the word to describe you, Granger."

"Being lonely and boyfriend-less is better than being you. Draco, that's Dragon in Latin. However, you haven't the slightest big of logic in your mind, that you put Dragons all over the world to shame. Oh, I'm sorry, Malfoy. I guess I hit a nerve," Hermione smirked as Malfoy paled slightly and glared, "But then again, if you had half a heart, you'd know that Harry would slay you before your heart stops, but being the gentleman he is, he would spare you your life."

"Don't. Mention. Potter. In. Front. Of me. You. Filthy. Thing. But then again, he doesn't have the strength, or the courage to slay me, thank you for caring enough to point that out. We're both talented with words, but I bet you, that I can write a better poem than you do, you filthy thing. The only words you can write with your filthy hands will be nothing but shit compared to the magic I can work with my brilliant mind. Ten galleons to the winner, loser loses ten galleons, fair deal?"

"You arrogant prejudice prick. I accept the bet, and I know that mine will be better!" With that, both ambitious determined sixth years grabbed a quill and parchment, writing. Hermione listened to the soft howling of the winds, and the steady falling of the rain, an angel's tears. Her mind wandered for a moment, when she realized just what she wanted to write about. The rain and the New Year; the ending of pain, or perhaps the death from it, would be her theme.

Malfoy thought, his eyebrows drawn in an elegant furrow, what his theme would be. He thought back, to the past, when he was under the Crustaceous Curse, cast by his own father. He thought about the way he loathed Granger for her parents' love for her, something he would never have. The way she knew how it was to be loved by her parents. The way the rain steadily hit the building, and the fact that it was New Years; a time for new Hope, which he would never, ever have.

In ten minutes, both had finished their poems, or rather songs… whichever you prefer to call it. Hermione grabbed Malfoy's paper, scanning through his perfect handwriting. Like hers, it was about New Year's. His poem/song read:

_Rain for Me _

_This sorrow filled rain,  
is this truly the end of that?  
Can one truly relieve my pain?  
Life is just a cruel act,  
with this, I fear I'd be insane,  
heal my fractured heart,  
and hear the pain's refrain. _

_Will this rain,  
wash away my fears?  
Can it truly be innocent,  
without the tears? _

_Crashing thunder,  
like the fireworks of July,  
Raining tears from angels,  
it's enough to make me cry. _

_This new year,  
Can it be a new start,  
A new Hope for now,  
Give me a pure heart,  
Please just once more,  
Let the rain free,  
Just rain for me. _

_Teach me how to live,  
tell me, how can one lie? _

_Life is all I can give;  
Love's left in a blink of an eye _

_I only wish to forget today,  
Can it be so hard,  
when I've cried night and day? _

_This is my true bliss,  
Death within my blood,  
I, no one will miss,  
Though I try with all I could,  
Just to be loved,  
And once have loved. _

_This new year,  
Can it be a new start,  
A new Hope for now,  
Give me a pure heart,  
Please just once more,  
Let the rain free,  
Just rain for me. _

On the other couch, Draco sat, reading Hermione's picture perfect penmanship and he almost fell off the sofa, thank Merlin for arm rests, when he realized how close to his poem hers was. In her neat, spidery writing, Hermione had written:

_When Angels Cry _

_It's a terrible time,  
the angels are crying tonight,  
who had committed a crime? _

_An angel's child has put up a fight,  
only to put us in this time,  
when the angels cry tonight. _

_The rain water,  
Wash away this filthy blood.  
It's tainted my soul,  
save me with a flood,  
only it can erase my eternal scars. _

_Don't cry for me, angels,  
I'm not worth crying for,  
My life was one of sins,  
I deserve this everlasting sore,  
When angels cry,  
The world cries along,  
Why must you put me so superior,  
When I have yet to sing this song? _

_Sing this to me, _

_Just one last time,  
set my soul free,  
let me pay for my crime. _

_You're driving me insane,  
for me I know you would never deign,  
Let God know that He reign, _

_Let the skies rain,  
This is my heart's refrain,  
We have nothing to lose or gain,  
So just don't drive me insane. _

_Don't speak,  
Don't freak,  
This is the time when angels cry,  
That you cannot deny,  
It was me this time,  
I committed the crime. _

_I used this tainted knife,  
and tried to end my life. _

_Cry for me not,  
Blame the angels not.  
Know it was Fate;  
Tragedy is its infamous trait. _

_Don't cry for me, angels,  
I'm not worth crying for,  
My life was one of sins,  
I deserve this everlasting sore,  
When angels cry,  
The world cries along,  
Why must you put me so superior,  
When I have yet to sing this song? _

_Sing this to me, _

_Just one last time,  
set my soul free,  
let me pay for my crime. _

_Teach me to love today,  
Kiss my pain away,  
Let me be who I'm destined to be.  
From your unhealthy wrath,  
Just set me free. _

Just as Draco finished reading the poem, and looked up to see Hermione's eyes glistening with tears, just reading his poem/song, the portrait hole opened. There stood Albus Dumbledore, the lunatic Headmaster of Hogwarts.

"Ah, it's so nice to see our Heads cooperating," he said grandly, taking the parchments from Hermione and Malfoy's hands. Scanning through their artwork quickly, he said, "Ms. Granger's work is truly one of angelic, yet dark and brooding. Mr. Malfoy's however, is dark and brooding, but it has intertwined within it a glint of happiness. They would sound quite well together, so tonight, for dinner, I would like for you two to sing these," with his eyes shining, he finished his sentence. "Together."

"But, He--" Hermione started, startled.

"No buts, Ms. Granger. These are wonderful works of arts, and they would sound beautiful together. I had wanted you two to do separate speeches, but it is a much better idea for you two to sing together. Unity of the Houses, I'm sure you both remember that? It is a wonderful way to start off a new year. Our rival houses, both having a representative sing together would be a wonderful start indeed. Oh yes, and remember to wear something dressy, it would be nice if you could perform in something other than your normal." With that, Dumbledore made a grand exit, leaving Hermione and Malfoy, seething at each other.

"This is **your** entire fault, _Malfoy!"_ Hermione screamed once they were sure the Headmaster had left, "If **you** hadn't started humming along with me, and made that idiotic comment, or made this stupid _bet,_ we wouldn't have to sing together! And… and…I can't sing." Hermione said, distressed.

Meanwhile, Malfoy stood, smirking. "You know, Granger. That loony bin of a Headmaster is right. Our songs would sound pretty well together, if we get the right tune. As for your singing, you aren't half bad… you sing quite well, not as well as I sing, of course, being that you're an inferior Mudblood."

Hermione just stood her mouth agape. _Did… Malfoy, Draco Lucius Malfoy, just compliment me for my singing, and say that he would actually **agree** with Dumbledore, as in Headmaster Albus Dumbledore? The Mudblood part stung, but I guess I should be used to it by now…_ Hermione thought, as she tried to comprehend what Malfoy just said.

At the same time, Malfoy was thinking something similar. _What the bloody HELL? Did I just compliment that filthy Mudblood, Hermione Jane Granger, and agree with that loony bin, who calls himself a Headmaster?_ To hide his shock, he said with his trademark drawl, "So, if you would kindly let me compose a tune, you can close your mouth now."

With a sigh, Hermione nodded, still unable to let reality sink in. Taking out a piece of parchment, she said, "I'll write my version of the tune and we'll pick which one we prefer.

"Wait… you can **compose,** Granger!" Draco said with shock evident on his pale face. Never did he know that muggles knew what music was.

"Yes, Malfoy, muggles have music. In fact, I've been playing the piano since I was three, and didn't stop until I enrolled to Hogwarts. What instrument do YOU play?"

"I play guitar, Granger, been playing before I learned to write," Draco said with mock boredom, as if it were obvious. But he froze, and locked eyes with Hermione. Both grinned, and within seconds, they both had out their wands. With a swish of their wands, their respective instrument appeared in front of them, Malfoy's guitar on a stand. "Granger, you play the piano, I'll try to follow along with the guitar, and we sing along to the music, and see how it works out."

Hermione was stunned… _Did Malfoy just **grin** for Merlin's sake, and allow me to take lead in this… composing?_ After the shock had worn off, she could only nod in agreement. She made a copy of both songs, handing one set to Malfoy. Afterwards, she charmed a quill to write down the music as they played, and preformed a silencing charm in the room, so that nobody could hear the ruckus. She sat down on the piano bench, studying the two works of writing and began.

_Hermione really can play the piano… wait… what! Did I just think of her, that filthy thing, as Hermione!_ Suddenly snapping out of his thoughts, he began to play.

The sweet sound of the piano intertwined with melodramatic sound of the guitar, and suddenly all that mattered was the song they sang. The sweet angelic voice of Hermione and the devilishly low sweet voice of Draco, as they intertwined made a beautiful harmony of magic. As for the music, they each played their own little thing, but as if their minds were bound, what they played matched perfectly.

When they were done, all Hermione could mutter was, "Wow… well, um I guess that's all the practice we need…I'll get ready for tonight…" A blush coloring her cheeks, Hermione ran to her room, and looked desperately for some dress robes. Seeing that she didn't really have any, she sighed and decided to design her own. Summoning a light, dark green flow-y material, she started. She drew out what she wanted it the dress look like, and enchanted the cloth to sew itself into its perfect form. Hermione was a good artist, and she knew that her dress wouldn't come out of proportion. She grabbed her copy of Hogwarts: a History and started to read as she waited for her dress to finish making itself.

When she put on her dress, she was awed. The green made her pale skin shine, and allowed her brown hair to seem earthier, with a beautiful brown. It hugged her every feminine curve, giving her a majestic look she never thought she could withhold. The dress reached her ankles, and with the uneven cut at the bottom, making it seem as if the wind was blowing at it, although there wasn't even a slightest bit of a breeze in her room.

_Now for the makeup and hair...I'll start with my hair…_ Hermione thought, looking disgusted at her bushy, brown, unruly hair. With a few charms, she managed to get her hair wavy and silky, and she piled it to an elegant bun with a few wisps of hair hanging out. She used the green chopstick-bun-holder things that Ginny had given her last Christmas. It was beautiful, although it had a silver snake wrapping itself around each of the emerald green transparent-like chopsticks. Admiring her own work, she started to apply on foundation.

She used silver eyeliner, and light green eye shadow. It made her huge brown eyes look dramatic as ever, the brown seemed as if it were changing from honey brown to dark brown in the light. Grinning, she applied pink lip gloss, allowing her full lips to seem poutier than ever. The soft tapping from the raindrops against the building made her grin, and she put on her green high heels. Green was definitely going to be her new favorite color, although it was a Slytherin color.

Walking out into their common room, Hermione saw that Malfoy too, was dressed. He was in a muggle tuxedo of black satin, and the shirt inside was something like satin, but more elegant looking. "You… you look nice in muggle clothing, Malfoy." Hermione stammered.

Draco just stood there, frozen by the beauty of the girl in front of her. _Surely that isn't Granger? And… green. It's my favorite color… she looks beautiful in it… _Uncertainly, he croaked out, "Granger…?"

"Yes… It's me… Granger…" Hermione said slowly, as if speaking to a young little child that was trying to learn her name. It irritated Malfoy, yet it was rather endearing. Snapping out of his daze, he forced a glare to come from his silver blue eyes, and walked out, heading for the Great Hall as Hermione followed him.

A hushed silence fell as the unlikely pair, both dressed equally elegantly, walked into the room. Hermione smiled as she sat down at the Gryffindor table, and Ron's soup spoon fell with a clatter, and Neville's pumpkin juice spilled, almost ruining Lavender's school robes. It was then, when Dumbledore stood up. "As you all know, today is a special day; New Year's to be exact. Our Heads have something special for you." With a flick of his hand, a platform appeared.

Slowly, Hermione and Draco ascended the stairs to the magical platform. Both reached for their wands, and their instruments appeared. Hermione sat down on the piano bench, and Draco sat down on a stool set by the piano. It was then, when they began.

Their sweet voices created harmony far more beautiful than what they shared in their common room about an hour ago. Their voices rang out clearly; the sounds of the piano and guitar were soon forgotten by all students of Hogwarts, even though they realized their perfect harmony was as well as the voices of the artists.

When they were done with their little performance, the entire school rang out with cheers, whistles, and students asking for encore. But everyone was surprised, including Draco himself, when he summoned a bouquet of light green roses, wrapped in green tissue paper and tied in a gaudy metallic silver ribbon, and gave them to Hermione. He didn't know what had possessed him to do so, but it just felt like the right thing to do. Hermione, however, hugged Malfoy and kissed him on the cheek. For the first time in his lifetime, Draco felt his face turn bright red, and hid it by walking side by side with Hermione down the platform.

When Hermione resumed her seat in the Great Hall, Harry and Ron were both glaring at her. "WHAT!" she said, slightly amused at their reactions, yet annoyed.

"You kissed Malfoy, DRACO MALFOY, on the cheek, and hugged him! You've never even kissed US on the cheek before!" Ron said, turning bright red with anger.

"Actually, she has, Ron. She kissed me on the cheek at the end of Fourth Year…" Harry said, cutting in cautiously.

"That's not the point, Harry. WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING, MIONE!"

"I…it just felt like the right thing to do at the moment," Hermione said, tears stinging her eyes, "I hadn't meant to hurt your feelings. I remember when I was with Viktor Krum; you said I was fraternizing with the enemy. If you're going to say the same thing today, I won't blame you. I hadn't meant it that way, I hope you understand that." With that, Hermione ran out of the Great Hall, the roses forgotten.

Draco saw her leave, tears falling from her eyes. Without a second thought, he pushed Pansy away from him, as she was trying to seduce him again, and followed Hermione. _What the Hell is wrong with me? Why am I so concerned? We're nothing but partners as Heads, right?_ He thought as he frantically tried to catch up to Hermione. He was quick, but she had agility that he never dreamt of coming from such a petite girl of 5'1" in uncomfortable high heels.

"GRANGER!" He cried, but she didn't' stop. She was already at the portrait hole of her room when he finally almost caught up to her. For desperate measures, he shouted her name. Her real name. "HERMIONE JANE GRANGER!" he boomed, hoping that his worry for her wasn't evident in his voice.

Hermione froze, mid-step and turned around. Draco could see tears staining her cheeks, she had already magically taken off her makeup, so no running mascara or anything was tinting her tears a different color. Malfoy walked up to her, and with his elegant long fingers, he wiped away her tears, "Don't cry, it doesn't become you, Hermione. You're amazing, you're independent. Don't cry for something Weasel said…Merlin, if I had a friend as great as you, I wouldn't ever yell at you. Now, we all know that it's a terrible time when angels cry…and you are fair enough to be an angel." Malfoy said, not understanding why he was saying those words, or even why he realized it was true, Hermione was as beautiful as a winged angel with a halo. He realized that her hair was adorned with chopsticks that were of Slytherin colors, and even had a silver snake. It was beautiful, but it could never be as beautiful as the person wearing it at the moment. Inter-house unity was the last thing on his mind as he wiped away a few more stray tears that had fallen from Hermione's eyes, and kissed her on the forehead. Bloody hell, it was love.

Hermione looked into the deep silver eyes of Draco Malfoy. His eyes held something that she'd never seen from him before. Concern, sadness, and Merlin…can that be Love that tinted his eyes? Sadness overwhelmed her senses and she threw her arms around Draco's neck and cried. They stood there, for Heavens know how long, with Hermione crying, and Malfoy stroking her now messy hair, trying to make her sobs subside. _This is most certainly going to be some year…_ Hermione thought as she cried into her savior's shoulder.


	2. After Sobs

**After the Sobs**

Hermione hugged her savior, crying her heart out as she felt Draco's hands stroke her head softly, calming her. Finally, her heart was cried out, and she had nothing left to cry out. Slowly, she separated from the shoulder of Malfoy and whispered, "Thank you, Draco."

Malfoy's heart swelled as he heard her use his name. He supposed it was absurd, seeing that she was still a muggle-born. _Bloody hell, I can't even refer to her as the Mudblood anymore. I…I can't possibly be in love…Lucius made it impossible. No Malfoy can ever fall in love…or can they?_ He thought. "Good night, Hermione." Draco loved the way her name just rolled on his tongue, and it was exactly what they were. In _harmony._ Surely, it wasn't just a coincident. It had to have some kind of… **Fate**?

Hermione paused for a moment, and then smiled before entering her room. "Good night, Draco." Once the portrait hole closed, Hermione slid down, clutching her pounding heart. What was _wrong_ with her? She couldn't… no, it was impossible. Or was it? _I… loved the way his skin felt on my lips, I loved the way his hand stroked my hair, I loved it when his lips touched me, but I can't possibly love…him, can I?_ She thought confusedly. But she was too exhausted to think, as crying had drained the energy out of her. Sliding into her muggle nightgown, she collapsed into her bed, and fell asleep, dreaming about dragons and kisses and hugs, with a smile on her face.

Draco went into his room, panting. He through his wet clothing aside, it was soaked with Hermione's bitter, sorrow-filled tears. _Bloody hell, I love her. No…I can never love a muggle-born. But…I want her. I need her. She's changed me tonight. Who knew we could be so alike? We think alike, we act alike. It must be only lust…but lust and love is the same thing, just that love doesn't have any horny thoughts, right? But I don't have any smitten thoughts about her…_. Sighing,he fell into his bed, falling asleep in his best shirt. He could almost still feel the kiss on his cheek, and he dreamt that night of a certain piano player, smiling.

Both awoke when an owl tapped upon their windows at five thirty. Hermione opened her window, and read the note, giving the owl a treat before it left. The note read:

"_Miss Granger, please see me in an hour, the password is Sugar Quills._

_-Headmaster Albus Dumbledore"_

Grabbing her hairbrush, Hermione combed through her hair, until it was free of tangles, and looked slightly tamed, although it was still quite unruly. She quickly showered and then slipped on her school robes, and brushed her teeth. She rushed into the common room, almost smashing into Malfoy. "Oh… sorry, Malfoy, I wasn't watching where I walked." A blush had formed on her cheeks and she rushed to the Great Hall.

Malfoy flinched when she called him 'Malfoy' again. He had to resist the urge to run after her and say, "Don't' ever apologize to me, you never have to. And call me Draco, never again, call me Malfoy, Hermione." Biting his tongue, Draco counted to twenty before walking to the Great Hall.

Hermione was alone, chewing on a piece of toast. Her raven hair fell, framing her fair face. Malfoy could only watch from afar, he ached to help her put the curly lock of hair behind her ear, and kiss her cheek. But some things were forbidden, through place and birth and circumstances. Walking to the Slytherin table, Draco too, grabbed a piece of toast and ate.

Finally, the time came. Both wanting to be on time, as they were known for their punctuality, even if they had their indifference. The gargoyle swung open just as they reached the Headmaster's place at the same time. Dumbledore's eyes twinkled and he said, "Good, I was just about to find the two of you. Lemon drop?" Both teens refused and Dumbledore's grin grew even wider, if it were possible. "When I saw your performance last night, I was struck by an idea." Draco groaned inwardly. This couldn't be good…

"And exactly what is your idea, Headmaster?" Hermione said cautiously. Obviously, she was thinking the very same thing, Malfoy noticed with a smirk.

"If we can arrange a band from Hogwarts students, it would be quite good. Mostly, I would prefer it to be you two and the prefects, but other students can also help."

Draco and Hermione stood, thinking amusedly at what could happen. Hilariously parody-like pictures flashed through both their minds. Who would've known that Albus Dumbledore, old as he was, could think of such mischievous ideas? They looked at each other, somehow speaking a silent conversation, something that supposedly only close friends could do, and nodded. Hermione said, "Very well, Headmaster. Malfoy and I will hold a meeting tonight."

Dumbledore smiled, _Ah, young love. Neither realizes it yet, sadly. But I can see it in their eyes, they're in love_. Quickly, he snapped out of his thoughtful moment, and said to the two young lovers and said, "Okay. I'll be looking forward to the band. They will be performing fairly much, and in fact, for every dance, I would like them to play the first song, before the Weird Sisters play.

Dazed, the two walked out of the Headmaster's office. Hermione was first to end the silence. "Well, that was quite… interesting. Don't you think, Malfoy?"

"Don't call me Malfoy, Hermione. Just call me Draco." Draco automatically said. With a smile, he stuck out his right hand to Hermione. "If you'd rather make it official, we can always properly meet again.

Hermione laughed, and shook Draco's hand. "I'm Hermione Jane Granger, but just call me Hermione, or Mione for short."

"I'm Draco Lucius Malfoy, but just call me Draco." He couldn't ignore the sparks he felt when her hand touched his. Nobody has ever made him feel this way before, but he liked it. He liked everything about Hermione. The way her angelic voice carried out in the breeze, the way her beautiful laughter could reach his ears and stand out, it was everything he loved. But Draco isn't an idiot, mind you. He knew it wasn't her qualities he loved. He loved _her_.

"Draco? Draco?" Hermione snapped her fingers in Malfoy's ear.

"Huh?" Draco said, as he finally realized he was still in reality.

"You're still...holding my hand," Hermione said with a blush. She'd felt the sparks too, she'd only realized a second before, that their hands were still within each others' and that it as if time had frozen them in that pose forever. She was disappointed when Draco finally dropped her hand, but it wasn't a moment too soon. The other students were starting to wake up, and had been coming from every hallway, trying to get into the Great Hall.


	3. A Coward Indeed

**A Coward Indeed**

Malfoy had trouble concentrating on his work, that day. It didn't really help that Snape had paired him up with Hermione to work on the potion. He couldn't even count right. No matter what he tried, he would lose count at around ten, and then would have to start counting…once again.

"Malfoy? MALFOY!" Hermione shouted, and finally succeeded to get his attention, "The locus wings? Have you counted out fifteen yet?"

"Oh uh…about that…do you mind doing the counting?" Draco finally stammered, realizing he can't count while thinking about Hermione's piercing words of hatred.

Angrily grabbing the locus wings, Hermione started to count out fifteen delicate wings to add to the potions. Reality was that she couldn't take her mind off her words either. _How could I have said such things? Something could happen…and I would never be able to take back those words. Malfoy could **die** thinking that I hate him, and I would never be able to tell him that he was respected by me, for his way of words. That even though he's a bloody git, I still have a certain respect for him, and not because he's a pureblood or because of his wealth._ She thought, as she furiously threw the locus wings into the potion. The gray potion bubbled to a bright lime green, and then died down to be a red color.

Malfoy stared at the cauldron. _First green, then to red, just like the colors of Slytherin and Gryffindor… _The thought made him blink, bitter reminiscence washed over him as he could almost feel the perfection he felt with Hermione crying in his arms. Without meaning to, he whispered out loud, "Don't cry it doesn't become you, Hermione. You're amazing, you're independent. Don't cry for something Weasel said…Merlin, if I had a friend as great as you, I wouldn't ever yell at you. Now, we all know that it's a terrible time when angels cry…and you are fair enough to be an angel." He could see Hermione stiffen as she heard his words, luckily nobody else seemed to notice.

Finally, class ended. Arithmacy was next, another class that was shared by both Hermione and Draco. From before vacation, they had been paired up to do a project together, since they were both top in class, and not to mention; Heads. But before Malfoy could even reach the class, he felt a hand on his shoulder. Spinning around, he saw that it was Granger.

"Granger, it's a pleasant meeting you here. It would be worse if it were someplace fancy, for surely your filthy blood would ruin its elegant adornments."

"You would be wise to keep your mouth shut, Malfoy. I have to speak to you, and bloody hell, we'll skip Arithmacy for just this once."

"Well, this is interesting. Hermione Granger, Head girl, Gryffindor bookworm, persuading _moi, _Draco Malfoy, Head boy, Slytherin Ice Prince, to skip class? This is far too amusing. I gladly accept your invitation to skip class, but you'd have to make it worth my while…" Draco drawled with his trademark smirk.

"Into our common room. Come with me. _Right this instant, Malfoy," _Hermione said, emphasizing the time. Reluctantly, Malfoy followed the clearly enraged bushy haired girl. Once they were inside, Hermione took over the talking. "What is _with_ you? You can't even count to fifteen in thirty minutes, yet you can recite a speech that was spoken over ten hours ago!"

Draco's gray blue eyes bulged out. _So she's concerned? Is that a good thing…or a bad thing?_ He felt his eyes welling up with tears, but he bit them back. _Malfoys don't cry. Where is your shame, Draco Malfoy? Your father will have your head if he knows you've been crying in front of…her._

Hermione's eyes widened. "You do realize…you spoke that out loud, do you not?"

"Spoke what out loud!" Malfoy said, fearing the worst. _Had I said the part about her being concerned? Or the crying part?_

"That Malfoys don't cry. And your father will take your life from you. And don't you **dare** say that he wouldn't, and that it was just a figure of speech. I know what your father is capable of," Hermione felt her voice waver with concern and fear. It was true; she did know what the older Malfoy was capable of. In fact, he had attempted to murder her before. She could almost feel her eyes soften, boring into the soul of Draco Malfoy, trying to pry every detail out of him, and be able to care for him. _Just why is it, that I feel that I **have** to comfort him?_

"I…" For once in his lifetime, Draco was at lost of words. Even though it was painful to admit, he knew he had to tell Hermione the truth. "I'm a coward."

"You're…you're what!" Hermione said, shocked, and not believing her ears.

"I'm a coward," Malfoy said again, feeling courage this time, and continued, "I'm afraid. All this time, even though I wouldn't show it, I just wanted someone's shoulder to cry on. They say that Slytherins, Malfoys in particular, shouldn't have emotions. But it's not true. I have emotions. Strong emotions. But I'm a coward. I'm too cowardly to admit it to someone, and to ask for a shoulder to cry on. I'm too afraid to be rejected. Yes, I'm a coward." With that, a solitary tear spilled from his eye.

Surprising Draco, Hermione drew him into a hug, "You can cry on me, Draco. You can cry on my shoulder. I won't reject you. I'm sorry for all the stereotypes. I'm sorry you're caught in the middle."

Draco, never feeling someone comforts him before, or let him cry on their shoulder before, especially after an embarrassing confession, felt lighter; as if something was lifted off his chest. And so he did, he cried while Hermione hugged him, letting his entire torn up soul relax.

Finally, it was dinner, and Malfoy was done crying. Together, they walked out to the Great Hall, an unspoken truce understood between them. Hermione sat next to Ron and Harry, as though they hadn't been in a fight only twenty-four hours ago.

"I'm sorry, Mione. I don't know what got over me. I just really, really despise Malfoy," Ron muttered underneath his breath.

"I'm sorry too, Mione. I guess Slytherins aren't that bad. I'm not saying that you are dating Malfoy, but if you are, I'd be fine with it. Like in the future if anything…you know," Harry said, looking Hermione squarely in the eye.

"Apologies accepted. Malfoy and I are just friends… And… Harry? What do you mean Slytherins aren't that bad? Ever since we've been enrolled in Hogwarts, you've hated their guts!"

"Well umm…." Harry turned bright red, putting Ron's hair to shame.

"C'mon Harry, you can tell us…" Ron said, teasingly.

"Ronald Weasly! Don't scare the poor boy, for Merlin's sake! So, Harry, do you plan on telling us or not?" Hermione said, a playful grin tugging on her lips.

"I'minlovewithPansyParkinson," Harry said, in one breath.

"Wait, what! Did you, Harry James Potter, just say you were in love with Pansy Parkinson?" Hermione and Ron said together in disbelief.

Harry's face turned to an even brighter red, and nodded embarrassedly. _Well this is going to be interesting…_ Hermione thought. "Well…I was talking to Malfoy the other day, and Parkinson came up…he said he could've **sworn** he saw her doodle your name all over her notes…" Harry's deep green eyes widened, obviously curious to anything else about Pansy.

Just then, Pansy Parkinson walked right up to the Gryffindor table, and sat herself down next to Harry, practically smashing Hermione and Neville aside as if she never noticed them. "Speaking of the Dark Lord," Hermione whispered to Ron. Ron only nodded, as if this was going to be the most interesting movie of the year that he was watching happen right next to him.

"Harry, did I ever tell you, your eyes are just…magnificent?" Pansy's syrupy voice said, as Harry turned even redder than before and mumbled something under his breath. "What did you say, Harry dear?"

"Isaidnoandthatyourdeepblackeyesaremuchmoremagnificentsincetheyseemliketheyholdfireintheirdeepdepths." Harry said a bit more audible this time.

Obviously, without thinking, Pansy had pressed her lips with Harry's, letting everyone to see. Both their eyes closed, giving in to the sudden passionate kiss and everyone applauded. But only Pansy and Harry could feel the sparks when their tongues danced, and that they were in their own little world, where love conquered all. They only stopped, when Dumbledore stood, tapping his spoon against his goblet, breaking the kiss, leaving Pansy and Harry wearing their bright red blushes. Pansy muttered something that sounded awfully like, "Sorry and bye," and ran back to her seat at the Slytherin table.

Hermione let her eyes wander to the Slytherin table then, locking eyes with a certain platinum blonde haired boy with gorgeous grey blue eyes that seemed silver in the shining light. Dumbledore said his speech, but both Hermione and Draco blocked it out, as their eyes just gazed into each other's souls. Before they knew it, dinner was over, and eight o' clock had dawned.

Both went into their rooms to retrieve their freshly written poems and headed for the Astronomy Tower together. When they reached it, they saw that most had already arrived, but none had even a piece of parchment with them. "Didn't anyone bother to WRITE any poems?" Hermione said with her anger aroused.

All the prefects looked at each other, and shook their heads no. Letting out a desperate sigh, Hermione said, "Not even you, Harry and Ron and Ginny, my supposedly best friends who should've backed me up!" She could already feel the fire build up in her eyes, angered at them all. She was just about to punch every Prefect in the room when she felt a hand on her shoulder, obviously trying to calm her down. Spinning around, Hermione realized it was Draco.

"It's not worth it, Hermione. Let's just get to the point and nominate the names of the band, and also give out the places that each of these bloody prats is going to get."

Hermione nodded, still too angry to say any words without spitting out emotional fire. With that, Draco took lead. "Since you idiots are too self-centered to write anything, we'll just have to nominate. Who, or which people, do you all think writes the best?"

Ginny raised her hand delicately, even though she hated Malfoy with all her guts. She had to do this, for Hermione's sake.

'Weaselette, who's your nomination?" Malfoy spoke, coldly and with indifference and rudeness.

"Whoever that wrote the lyrics to the song you and Hermione sang on New Years."

"Weaselette, that would be Hermione and I, and if you do not mind, we were looking for a Prefect to take part as lyricist for the band that we are going to all have to be part of, the loony Headmaster's orders."

"There isn't a bloody one of us Prefects that can match your talents," Ginny said, walking up boldly to the two Heads, snatching the parchments of poetry from their respective hands. "You two even think alike when separated, and you both have the wittiest way with words, something that none else of us have!"

"Weasel, do you mind calming your insane sister, she has no idea what she's mumbling about, and just how does she know, without even looking at the parchments, that what Hermione and I wrote are similar, or that we were far away from each other!"

However, Ron just stood there, glaring. "How **dare** you call Hermione by her first name, just what is your relationship with her! Obviously, you think it's something more than friends, but Hermione confirmed it tonight that you're just friends!"

"RONALD WEASLY. HAVE YOU GONE MAD! WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF A MEETING HERE, AND DRACO IS RIGHT, GINNY IS INSANELY WAVING AROUND FOUR PIECES OF PARCHMENT SAYING THAT HE AND I THINK ALIKE, WHEN SHE HASN'T EVEN GLANCED AT WHAT WE'VE WRITTEN. IF YOU'RE BLOODY HELL NOT GOING TO CALM HER DOWN, I WILL. AND DON'T **YOU** DARE MAKE THESE VILE, AND THEREFORE ABSURD, AND INVALID ACCUSATIONS THAT THERE'S SOMETHING MORE GOING ON BETWEEN DRACO AND I!" Hermione screamed at her best friend, and grabbed the four pieces of parchment from her best female friend's hands. Ron glared at her use of 'Draco' but knew better than to hold her against it while she was in a ranting rage. "Please, stop this insanity in here!" She pleaded, almost desperately. With that, she handed all four papers to Malfoy and took control once again. "Moving on, why don't we just… choose a name for the band?

Blaise's hand went up, rather hesitantly. "Yes, Zabini?" Hermione said, trying to control her voice.

"Why not the name, Pure Soul?" Hermione nodded, and smiled at the shy Slytherin boy. She wrote down Pure Soul, and for another fifteen minutes, many band names were suggested, as Draco was reading the poems over and over again, not believing what he read.

"You may only vote once. How many people want the name, Pure Soul?" Three hands shot up, and Hermione scanned the list, "How many wants Last Wish?" Two hands shot up. "Stray Dream?" Nobody voted, and for the next five minutes, they voted upon the remaining band names. They ended up with Pure Soul as their name. "Okay, you are all dismissed. But, by the time of our next Prefect meeting," she sent a glare to everyone in the room, "I want you all to have an idea for how to design our 'signature', and have some samples of your work." Eight students nodded, in fear of her frightful wrath.

When all but Draco and Hermione had left, Malfoy grabbed her arm, telling her to read his poems. Her eyes widened when she finished, "They're… so similar," she whispered, almost fearing that if she spoke it too loud, Ginny would run into the room screaming "I TOLD YOU SO, I TOLD YOU SO…"

Malfoy spun Hermione around, so that he could see her intense honey brown eyes. In the moonlight, they seemed like a beautiful flame that could never be put out. He itched to just pull her closer, and kiss her, but knew that it wouldn't be the best thing to do at a time like this. _How can she put my feelings onto paper, even though she doesn't know me? It's almost like she's killing me softly with her songs, because I don't want to know that anyone else understands. If they do, then my life, I'm afraid would be even more controlled than now. But she doesn't even know it's my life, yet she can put my life onto the paper._

Hermione, too, stared into Malfoy's soul, trying to understand how he can understand everything about her, without knowing it. _How can he know, that I've always wanted to run away? I've never fitted in anywhere. Before Hogwarts, the kids fear me, because once when I got really mad, I felt, and saw, a red aura surround me and a kid was thrown across the playground. Here in Hogwarts, when I finally understand magic, most people hate me. They hate me because I'm a bookworm. Someone boring, and too intellectual for my own good. Yet, Draco could put it all…in a song._ Finally, the awkward silence broke when Hermione, being the to-the-point person she was, asked, "How can you…put all my feelings in your songs?"

"I don't know, but you do the same. How did you know that I feel like I'm always living in a shadow of doubt? How did you know that I am screaming inside to just punch my father in the face and ask him why he has to be a coward and just cast the Cretaceous curse on me every time I speak in a way that leaves him speechless?"

"I didn't know. The songs I wrote, they were about my life, not yours. And just how did you know that I've always wanted to run away, and that my true dad, who I am forced to call uncle, orders me around, especially that he wants me to become a doctor?"

"I didn't. The song 'Live and Let Live' was written about Lucius and I, and I've always wanted to run way too. Elaborate please, about your uncle that's your true father," Draco said truthfully, literally spitting out Lucius' name.

"I—I'm a bastard. My mom was with my real father for four years, and even lived with him. She was pregnant with me for two weeks, and not knowing that, she broke up with him. Then, three weeks later, she met her ex-'s twin brother, fell in love. When she realized she was pregnant, they quickly married. My real father hates me, because he thinks my mother was cheating on him, and that I was the only reason the broke up. My mother hates me, because I remind her so much of her heartbreak, and the one I'm forced to call my father hates me, knowing that I'm not his. The word 'family' feels hollow now, for I haven't one." Tears had started to spill out of her eyes, and she spoke quicker and quicker, trying to just finish the dreadful story.

"Have you ever told anyone about that, Hermione?" Draco asked softly while wiping away her tears.

"I told you, just now," Hermione answered, stepping a little closer to Draco as a chill started to settle in the Astronomy tower. _What am I doing? Why am I telling him so much? Why am I telling him things that I have never even told Harry and Ron? Why am I even stepping closer to him?_ She thought, but her thoughts were silenced when Draco's arm wrapped around her shoulders, pulling her even closer as they just stared out the window, looking at the beautiful diamond sky. Then, Hermione realized something. "This…this is wrong, Draco," she said pulling back.

Trying to hide his disappointment, Draco turned around, and the two walked in silence to their room. When they were in the common room, standing in front of each their respective portrait holes, Draco said unexpectedly, "Good night, Hermione."

Hesitating, Hermione too bid Draco good night. But neither slept at once. Both had started to write. They'd written something that they both thought were something far better than anything else they've written, possibly because the feeling was still fresh in mind. _I'll show this to Draco tomorrow morning._ Hermione thought as she slipped into her nightgown, and fell to the wraths of sleep, with a smile on her face while dreaming of a pleasant boy who plagued her dreams so often lately.

Draco, in the adjacent room to Hermione, finished his song at the same time she did. _I'll show this to Hermione tomorrow morning, _and with that thought, he stripped down to his green boxers, and fell asleep, dreaming of a certain Gryffindor beauty with unruly locks of brown hair.

When morning stuck that Saturday morning, Hermione ran into the restroom, and showered. Coming out into her room with only a towel, she looked through her drawer, looking for something cute, but not too revealing. Finally, she found what she was looking for. A soft green turtleneck, with two silver bands towards where her stomach was, that hugged her curves, yet kept her warm. Along with this, she wore black baggy pants, ones that she had borrowed from Harry, but he told her to just keep it, seeing that he'd outgrown it three months before she'd asked to borrow them. It wasn't strange to her to wear Harry's pants at all, since they were usually feminine looking with a male twist, because his aunt chose all of his muggle clothing. With one last combing through her dreadful hair, she walked out into the common room, in her hands the song she'd written the night before.

Draco was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Nothing seemed right on him. He'd showered at five AM, but he couldn't find anything suitable to wear. Currently, it was eight, and he, the Slytherin Prince, was having a hard time finding the proper clothing to face Hermione that day. With a frustrated cry, he threw on a green t-shirt and black pants. Seeing that it actually matched, he walked into the common room, in his hands the song he'd written the night before.

"Draco---"

"Hermione---"

"You first---"

"You first---"

"No you---"

"No you---"

With a frustrated cry, they thrust the parchment in each other's faces, hoping they'd understand what they were trying to tell the other to do. Both eyes bulged out when they skimmed through the song. They were _exactly the same_:

_We're Opposites_

_Stop staring at me,  
I'm not worth catching your eye,  
don't even smile at me,_

_It's where our loyalties lie.  
I'm a broken soul,  
I'm destined to cry until I die,  
You're a free spirit,_

_Tonight, I'll let you fly._

_I'm staring up to the sky,  
Life is passing me by,  
the line between Hate and Love,  
and it's thinning far too quickly._

_I've seen the Heavens above,  
And the burning Hell for the lowly._

_Can you be my angel,_

_And let me fly?_

_Can you be my friend,  
And never let me die?_

_I'll smile at you sweetly,  
Just to hide my fears,  
I'll run away secretly,  
Just so you won't see my tears,  
Stop looking at me knowingly,  
You don't even know half my fears._

_Inside I'm dying to know,_

_Why these feelings grow.  
It used to be simpler,  
I hate you, and you hate me._

_You were with her,  
I was left alone to be,  
the one solitary hater._

_But how can this be wrong,  
when it feels so right?_

_Please, sing me this eternal song,  
Love we mustn't fight._

_I'm staring up to the sky,  
Life is passing me by,  
the line between Hate and Love,  
and it's thinning far too quickly._

_I've seen the Heavens above,  
And the burning Hell for the lowly._

_Can you be my angel,_

_And let me fly?_

_Can you be my friend,  
And never let me die?_

_Butterfly kisses,  
Uncanny blesses,  
Let me go away,_

_If not, I will betray._

_We're destined to part,  
you mustn't be so tart.  
Separate lives we lead,  
you and I are freed._

_Love has let us go,  
I hate you so,  
don't come back to me,  
Love set us free.  
I'm a broken soul;  
I'm destined to cry until I die._

_You're a free spirit,  
Tonight, I'll let you fly._

Hermione could feel her senses betray her. "What the…bloody hell?" She finally managed to croak out.

"I didn't copy you, I swear, I didn't."

"I know you didn't. I…I wrote '_But how can this be wrong, When it feels so right? Please, sing me this eternal song, Love we mustn't fight.' _Because I thought…it really did suit how I thought. Obviously, it suited how you thought too. We just think…too alike. It's scary."

Glancing at each other one last time, they silently walked to the Great Hall together, and separated without a word to their respective tables. _I'm indeed a coward; I can't even tell her I love her…_ Draco thought as he sat down, next to Blaise, and silently picked at his food.


	4. The Lunatic Headmaster's Plan

**The Lunatic Headmaster's Plan**

Finally concluding that she couldn't eat one bite of her food, after realizing how similar she and Draco think. It was almost….uncanny. She stood up, and told her friends she was going to go to the library. Ginny, however, stood up also, and said she too, was going. Together, the two girls walked to the library, but not without speaking.

"Mione, you'd tell us if you ever fell in love with someone, right?" Ginny cautiously said.

"Well…with Ron and Harry, I'm not sure. But of course, I'd tell you," Hermione said warmly, after thinking for a moment, and wincing at the scene that her two best friends had caused on New Year's day.

"Okay, then. By the way, when will the next meeting be? I have to ask Draco, but I think tomorrow would be the best time."

"Well, I guess I don't have to wait that long for an answer. Malfoy is standing right there," Ginny said. Hermione squinted, and she saw the beautiful white blonde hair of Draco Malfoy. Her breath caught in her throat as they walked up to him.

"Um…about the Prefect meeting…do you think tomorrow would be a good day?" Hermione said, afraid that if she said any more, she would scream out a confession of love for him.

Malfoy glanced up, surprised at first, and then nodded. "Um, yea that would be the perfect…day. Same time same place," he said, never taking his eyes off of Hermione's brown ones.

Uncomfortably, Hermione nodded, and walked into the library. "Ginny, do you mind helping me write the owls to the other Prefects? It'll be quicker if we work together."

Ginny nodded at the older girl, slightly amused at how flustered Hermione was after talking to Malfoy. "Mione, are you okay? You seem as flustered as a girl in love, and just saw the lucky guy in an awkward position!"

"I—I'm okay. And what do you **mean** like a girl in love?"

"Oh, you know what I'm talking about," Ginny slyly said, winking at her friend.

"Merlin, if anyone else accuses me of being in love with Draco Malfoy, I will decapitate them in the most creative way possible!"

"You mean, with a blunt ax, killing them like Nearly Headless Nick?"

"Creative enough, that's a good plan," Hermione said, smiling slightly, but still managed a half-threatening tone.

After all the notes were sent out, Hermione went into her room, since she didn't have a class until the second period. She worked on making the 'signatures' for the band, Pure Soul. Satisfied with her fifteen different designs, Hermione found herself thinking about Draco again. Sighing, she grabbed a piece of parchment, and dipped her quill in ink. It was going to be one _interesting_ song she was about to write:

_Feet in the Air_

_I stare up to the endless dark sky,_

_My feet are on the ground,_

_These twinkling diamonds' caught my eye,_

_Then I remember to keep my feet on the ground._

_But it's too late to turn back;  
you've clearly swept me off my feet._

_Before, this was the one emotion I lack,  
Today I realize Love is really elite._

_Inside I know, soaring here is wrong,  
but the moon is letting me pass,  
the stars are smiling along,  
these wings in the sky are like feet on the grass._

_I'm flying higher than I've ever reached,_

_There's no limit for me to stay,_

_You're by my side and I'm assured,_

_There's no danger in our way._

_I love this floating feeling,_

_This is what my soul screamed to see,_

_The sight up here is dazzling,_

_I've never known this side of me._

_But it's too late to turn back;  
you've clearly swept me off my feet._

_Before, this was the one emotion I lack,  
Today I realize Love is really elite._

_I stare down to see,_

_My scars and pain are gone,_

_The staining crimson blood wasn't on me,_

_I guess love has made them gone._

_Deep down I know_

_I'm in love with you,_

_This feeling inside me will grow;  
I can feel that this is true._

_I'm so confused tonight,_

_But I know the answer why._

_You've opened up my sight,  
letting me love instead of cry._

_But it's too late to turn back;  
you've clearly swept me off my feet._

_Before, this was the one emotion I lack,  
Today I realize Love is really elite._

_Deep down I know I'm in love with you,_ Hermione thought, her mind spinning. But it was too late, it was time for Divination. Sighing, Hermione picked up her bag, and braced herself to see Draco, once again, in class.

Draco stood there, waiting for Divination to start. Slowly, he walked to class, when the time came. He caught sight of Hermione's bushy brown hair, as she flew to class, as if it were a **must** that she is there. _Some things never change,_ he thought, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. This New Year was just full of surprises, especially in love; such as Pansy Parkinson and Harry Potter, possibly the most unlikely couple in Hogwarts.

When they reached class they heard the buzzing of gossip. Pansy, was practically sitting on Harry's lap, saying, "I can't believe we're going to have a Valentine's dance this year! It'll be just great!"

Hermione stared in dazed surprise when her best friend leaned over, kissing Pansy on the forehead and asked, "Then, will you be my date for the dance?" When Pansy just smiled, Harry grinned and said, "I take is as a yes."

Just then, Professor Trelawney came in, breaking up the love fest between Harry and Pansy (in which Pansy scrambled to a seat next to Blaise). Finally, Hermione slid into her seat, grinning slyly at Harry. "What in the world was that? Looking at the face of Parkinson, I would've thought you proposed to her!"

"Mione…" Harry said in a warning tone. When Hermione pouted slightly, Harry said, "When you and Ginny left, Dumbledore announced that there would be a Valentine's dance this year. Pansy is my date. Oh, and Dumbledore wanted to see you and Malfoy. I'm just passing along the message. Go during lunch, Blaise will inform Malfoy." At the name of Blaise, both Harry and Hermione noticed Ron paling a bit, and then his cheeks tinged bright red. Before either could ask Ron, Professor Trelawney spoke, trying to gain all attention.

Hermione squirmed in her seat as Professor Trelawney spoke in a distant foreign language that she couldn't comprehend. _A dance…for Valentine's Day…? Do we have to attend? If we do, who will my date be? Draco would take someone, I know he would. I'm not fond of Valentine's Day…but I bet you Draco would have tons of girls throw themselves at him…._ After all the thinking, class was finally dismissed, and lunch hence started.

Without bothering to eat, Malfoy headed for the Headmaster's office. Hermione did the same, and the two silently walked down the corridor. "Sugar quills," Hermione said to the gargoyle. The hidden entrance swung open, allowing the two secretive lovers in.

Dumbledore looked at the two, his eyes twinkling with amusement. _These two won't know what hit them…_"As you both know, we have a Valentine's dance this year," he paused long enough for the two to nod. "Well, I would like for the two of you to go together, since you're both Heads," waving his hand to stop the protests, he continued, "and I would like for the two of you to start off the first dance."

Hermione and Draco stared at the Headmaster in mock horror. "WHAT…!" They both screamed at the same time. Hermione blushed, and looked away, and Malfoy was flustered as ever at the sound of their words tied together, in a beautiful ribbon of sound.

Dumbledore chuckled at the sight. _Ah, if I am correct, they are more in love than I first thought._ "And Professor Flitwick will teach you the dance that I want the two of you to dance on a platform. It will be held during your Potions class, since you two share the same class, and are partners for the Potion's project that Severus will assign. I have already spoken to him, and he has excused you two for the remaining month before Valentine's Day."

Hermione and Draco just looked at their lunatic of a Headmaster. "Are…you serious, Headmaster! With all due respect, sir, I don't believe that dancing with each other is exactly the best idea…" Hermione finally croaked out. _This is absurd…how exactly can he force us to go together!_ Malfoy as thinking the very same thing, and had just barely closed his gaping mouth.

"Exactly how can you force us to go together…?" Draco asked, his drawl twisting in his words, echoing Hermione's thoughts.

"Just an advantage a Headmaster has. Now, Professor Flitwick is awaiting for his two dance students," Dumbledore said, ushering the two shocked teens out of his office.

True to Dumbledore's words, Flitwick was standing there, waiting for the two. "I'm sure Dumbledore has informed you of the dance routine I will be teaching the two of you. So come," Flitwick said, his robes swishing as he turned, putting Snape's trademark exit to shame.

Draco and Hermione had no choice, but to follow suit, and walked into the Great Hall, now magically cleared for them to…dance. Flitwick went into a lengthy explanation of the dance that they would have to do. It was supposedly a complex one, filled with twirling and holding, and dipping. But when Flitwick said, "…of course you would both have to look intimate and into the dance…" both had stopped looking, and were trying to just absorb the meaning of those few words. Both snapped out of it though, when Flitwick announced that they would dance.

"Put one arm around her waist, Mr. Malfoy. And Ms. Granger, put one hand on his shoulder, and then extend your free hands out, and let them hold each others," Flitwick said. _Hah, easily said than done,_ Hermione and Draco thought in harmony, as they struggled to get into the correct position, because of their awkward incident only a few hours ago. Finally, they were in the correct position, and Flitwick had started the slow music. It was easy to fall into the drowning music, they soon found, as they danced, staring into each other's eyes. "Dip, up, left, left, right , right, dip, up, twirl once, twirl twice, twirl thrice, stop, dip, right, right…" the pattern went on and on, as Flitwick's demanding monotonous voice rang out. Finally, the song ended, leaving Hermione and Draco alone in each other's arms when Flitwick announced he was going out, and allowing them to practice alone.

"That was…interesting," Malfoy finally said.

"Yeah, it was rather interesting," Hermione said, trying to avoid his piercingly beautiful eyes that seemed like they could always see through her soul, her every façade. She glanced at him, and to her resentment, their eyes locked.

Together, they gasped, "Dumbledore set us up!" Hermione said, stating the obvious.

"Now, we must make a plan. He mustn't be let down for his hard work of planning this, now could he?" Draco said half bemused at how Hermione's warm chocolate brown eyes widened as the realization dawned on her.

"How dare he!" Hermione shrieked, "First it was Ron and Harry, then Ginny who accused us of being in love. Now, it's HEADMASTER DUMBLEDORE, the supposedly LOGICAL person in this BLOODY SCHOOL!"

Draco covered his ears, afraid of going deaf. Surely this sweet girl couldn't yell THAT loud. But astounding as the rest of her was, she could. "Gee, Granger. I never thought you would be a woman of vindictiveness. But whatever you say goes. So, my terribly loud lady with the atrocious voice, would you like to get back at all of them?"

"Yes. For my dignity, and as well as for yours, I would love to get back at them," Hermione said, a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.

"My, my, a brave Griffindork going through all this for the dignity of herself and a sexy Slytherin… what will the people think?" Draco said, smirking at Hermione's words.

Slapping him playfully across the face, Hermione returned his smirk, "Slimy Self-centered Pureblood Slytherin wants to taunt Beautiful Brave Muggle-born Gryffindor? That's hard…especially since we all know you cannot resist my beautiful lush brown hair."

Malfoy gaped at the girl with the unruly brown hair. "And you call _moi_ self-centered!" he almost shrieked with outrage and disbelief. _What kind of nut is this girl! And that SMIRK! It's putting MINE to SHAME! _He thought, slightly bemused by the self-centeredness of Hermione.

"Why can I not? Now let's start on this…plan of ours." Hermione said, smirking at the blonde boy staring agape at her.

For the remaining hour of the "class", Hermione and Draco worked on their ingenious plan on how to get back at all those 'little people' who accused them of feeling something towards each other. Finally, they had a great plan. It wouldn't make a fool out of themselves, but most certainly those who thought they were more than friends. When the bell rung, both jumped up, not realizing that it was already so late.

"Well… see you around, Malfoy," Hermione said uncertainly, only to feel a faint blush rising to her cheeks. She was surprised, since when did she ever blush so much…and especially because of Malfoy? _Probably because I'm thankful for the fact that he helped me the other night,_ she reasoned with her own conscience.

"Back to surnames, are we, Granger? I'll see you later in class, and then tomorrow first thing in the morning so we can actually practice the dance and not make a fool of ourselves."

"Yes, I'm sure we are, Malfoy, and as for dancing, I'm sure you'll need the practice, not like I would," Hermione said sarcastically as she turned around, her robes billowing behind her as if she were trying to imitate Snape. But Draco knew she wasn't. She always held her head up high, with a dramatic flair of fire dancing in her aura. This was normal for her, but just so normal that it wasn't noted. Snape was always so…icy that the billowing of robes seemed unnatural, as it almost represented fire. Seeing the billowing of robes upon Hermione was like seeing an ant on the floor; natural.

"See you around, Hermione," Malfoy whispered softly to her retreating figure, now too far away to hear his foolish whispers of lovesickness. _I can't believe I'm falling head over heels for her. There's a first for everything. For blushing, confessing, and loving. It just happens so that Hermione was the one to make all of the firsts._ He thought silently, before falling suit of Hermione, walking to his Arithmacy class, where he will once again encounter Hermione.

As the two fell into their seats next to one another, Draco muttered to Hermione, causing her to giggle, "All this because of our lunatic Headmaster's plan. What's next? Arrange our marriage just for entertainment?"

"Yes, yes. And they'll forge our signatures on the wedding certificate. That, I'm quite sure isn't far off in their minds." Hermione replied, smirking after stifling her momentarily giggles.

Draco ogled at the girl sitting beside him. _SURELY I thought she wasn't so wicked with a witty, yet wicked, mind of hers…_ he thought, only half believing what he just heard. Even HE hadn't thought of such a devilish thing!

"Just the lunatic Headmaster's plan…" Hermione said, echoing his past vocalizations.


	5. The Valentine's Dance of Love

**Valentine's Dance of Love**

It was the time for Potions. Well, dancing for Hermione and Draco. Sighing, they both headed down to the Great Hall to practice their dancing. Flitwick wasn't there. Surprise, surprise, it was probably another plan of Dumbledore's, to get them to be alone and express their feelings for each other.

"One would think that our Headmaster was some kind of evil stage manager and that he's using all of us for stage props and characters," Malfoy spat when they entered, realizing that Flitwick wasn't there.

"Or perhaps he had literally gone loony in the mind, despite the fact that he is the most brilliant man alive…or was before he became a romanticist," Hermione added bitterly. That made Malfoy chuckle out loud.

"Why I never thought innocent-bookworm-Granger would admit to sexy Draco Malfoy that her beloved Headmaster has finally gone loony," he drawled in his infamously annoying voice.

_Annoying, but definitely sexy voice,_ Hermione thought, dazed for a moment in her thoughts, shaking her head, she was shocked to realize what she'd just thought. _NO! Not sexy. Not sexy. I hate his voice. I hate HIM. _She thought firmly, and asked, "So, are we going to practice that disastrous dance, or not?"

"Yeah…sure," Malfoy said, dropping his eyes. _Come on, Malfoy you can dance with her. You will not tremble and forget the moves just because you'll be so close to her…._ He thought, urging himself to dance with her. With a snap of his fingers, the music that they were to dance to came on.

"Dip…up…lifts…" Hermione muttered, deeply terrified of making a mistake and stepping on Malfoy's arrogant foot, in fear that he would make her pay for the shoes she would've ruined.

"Are you nervous, Granger?" Malfoy smirked at the girl, who clearly had fear fogging up in her sweet chocolate brown eyes.

"Me? Look at you, you're so nervous, your hand is literally trembling as you hold me, and when you lifted me, I could've sworn you would've dropped me if you hadn't known I would hex you to oblivion the moment you do! Loving my body just a bit too much for your own arrogant good, Malfoy?" Hermione said smirking as her confident entered her, since she realized the truth in her own words.

"Always the one to get the last words, aren't you, Granger?" Malfoy asked, in a non-threatening or insulting way.

"Of course, I am bookworm Granger, nobody gets the last words after I do," Hermione said with pride evident in her even soprano voice.

"Feisty one, are you not? For one, I, Draco Lucius Malfoy, shall have the last words!" he said in his own arrogant way, hoping that she wouldn't have a witty come back for that.

"Yes, feisty I can be. But if you believe for even one moment I'll let your self-centered butt win over my words, you are deeply confused, Malfoy!"

"Butt…? That's such foul, foul language, Hermione Granger. I thought you had more sense than that!"

"Oh you…."

"I WON! I GOT THE LAST WORD!" Malfoy said, triumph reflecting upon his words in a clear mirage.

"Let's just get this dance right. Don't tremble so much, you'll get ME nervous, Malfoy!" Hermione said, not being able to resist smiling at Malfoy, attempting to act cute and annoyingly young.

Together, the two teenagers got lost in each other's deep, but soulful eyes and drowned in their unspoken love. At last, it was the finale of the dance: a dip that came after Hermione came back from a twirl that separated their bodies with only a moment's distance. When Draco caught her by the waist and dipped her, their eyes met with such passion. As the music ended, Draco found himself clearing the space between his face and Hermione's. Their foreheads touched, and just before the blessed touch of lips that everyone had long awaited for, including these two star-crossed lovers, they heard footsteps nearing. Nearly dropping Hermione, Malfoy stood up, brushing himself off to find Flitwick standing there, panting.

"Sorry, Mr. Malfoy, Ms. Granger, I had business that I had to attend. Would you like to begin practice, now?" Flitwick apologized to the two young students. When he realized they were clearly out of breath, evidently having practiced the dance at least once, he said, "Or if you have already practiced, then do rest for a while. The dance is rather hard, and very tiring."

Hermione and Draco nodded, trying to convince themselves that the loud pounding of their energetic heart and the flushing of their faces were from being active for so long, not because of their encounter with the touch of Love a few moments ago.

"You dance well, Draco," Hermione said, breathlessly.

"As do you, Hermione," Malfoy said with honesty that he never realized he owned. Hermione smiled at his statement, and sipped at a bit of water that she had conjured. _Wow…she looks amazing, even with her forehead sweaty from dancing, and her smile…sweet Merlin, she's the most beautiful thing I've ever laid my eyes on._ _WAIT! Snap out of it, Draco. You can't fall in love with her. You won't, because you can't fall in love with her._ Draco's eyes widened as he realized the truth. He loved her. Yet he couldn't, and he was letting that get in the way of him.

Flitwick spoke endlessly of the way feeling should be expressed within the dance, and how every move should reflect love, as the theme was Valentine's Day. Hermione's fingers itched to be intertwined with Draco's again, their eyes searching endlessly into each other's souls and bodies pressed together, moving to the beautiful song.

Almost reading her mind, Draco asked, "Why don't I and Granger perform for you once, and then you can criticize us for what we did wrong?"

Flitwick nodded at this, and as Draco and Hermione took their places, the music came on. Once again, fire dancing within their own souls, their eyes danced a serenade together as their eyes locked; his icy grey/blue eyes within her fiery chocolate brown. As Hermione was lifted, suspended only by Draco's muscular arm, she felt no danger. Although she was deeply afraid of heights, she trusted Draco with her life, and that he wouldn't allow her to fall. The dance, as though speaking silently their unvoiced passion, expressed much more than words could ever say. Fire and Ice, both melting into each other's love, drowning in their desire, finally ended the dance in a beautiful flourish.

Their eyes finally unlocked themselves from each other's gaze as they turned to see Flitwick's reaction. They were smirking inwardly when they saw a professor with his eyes bulging out, much like a fly's, and a wide mouth. He didn't even realize the two students were staring at him until Hermione finally swallowed the last of her suppressed giggles and asked, "Professor…professor?" He shut his mouth, and sunk his eyes back into their sockets and congratulated the two for their beautiful dance of "love" as the bell rang.

Hermione and Draco hurried off to their Transfiguration class as Professor Flitwick was gathering himself up, figuratively speaking, from the shock of a perfectly danced impossible dance. Professionals couldn't dance the dance, and it was very complicating. Never before had anyone flawlessly danced the entire dance so fluently, or without tripping over each other, or even stop dancing from the lack of strength. However, two students, in Hogwarts itself, had danced together, with such emotion and passion and hadn't even collapsed. All the dips and spinning, if a professionally trained person couldn't do it, how could…?

Later, the baffled professor went to see Dumbledore. "Albus, the impossible has happened!" he stated once he was in presence of the Headmaster.

"Miss Granger and Mister Malfoy have done it, have they not? They had achieved the impossible task of completing their dance number flawlessly, haven't they?" Dumbledore said calmly, his blue eyes twinkled in the candlelight and with an uncharacterized smirk, he continued, "I have appointed the right dance, yet you had doubted their ability."

"Sorry, Headmaster, but surely…"

"It was no dream. They are truly in love. The reason nobody else can dance it, is because there is a lack of true love in the world. But they, mere teenagers have accomplished something never thought possible anymore. The innocence of being truly in love…"

Meanwhile, in the Astronomy tower, the Prefects were holding a meeting. Hermione had collected the many papers that the terrified Prefects had written, and handed them to Draco to read. They were appointing their jobs that they should have in the band. With collected calm, Hermione requested nominations for the bass guitar player.

Pansy raised her free hand, as one was intertwined with Harry's. "I believe that Draco would be the best nomination for such part, as he played wonderfully on New Year's night." Hands rose to second the nomination, and all were in favor of such move.

Next came the part of singer and back-up singer. Nobody wanted the job, and nobody wanted to nominate anyone other than Hermione and Draco. In the end, however, there was a tie between them. Finally coming out of his trance from reading the horrendously written pieces of "literary artwork" that the Prefects had so hastily produced, he took over. "Fine, how about this, this band will have two singers, and we will sing together?"

His idea was obviously appreciated and loved, since a loud cheer arose, that only until Hermione had let out an ear-piercing whistle did everyone finally shut their unintelligent yaps. "Very well, but Draco is also the bass guitar player!" Hermione cried. The Prefects didn't care, and they chanted over and over that they would choose no one else like an enraged crowd of violent obsessed people of a certain celebrity.

Finally, the chaos died down, with only… a few accusations of love passing through Hermione and Draco. Their vile and absurd accusations made both want to wretch the heads off of the idiotic accuser, yet had a wave of happiness wash over them as more and more people accused them. All had left, except for Ginny, Hermione, and Draco.

"Malfoy, take good care of Hermione, or I will kill you," Ginny stated plainly and without any emotion whatsoever.

"WHAT!" both Heads had cried, almost in outrage.

"You both heard every word I said. I know about you two," she replied, bemused at their quick reaction and the fact that a rosy blush was already tainting Hermione's cheeks.

"What about us…?" Malfoy asked cautiously, finally finding his voice.

"I saw you two dancing. And…well, the dance…" Ginny stated, her voice trailing off.

"What about the dance…?" Hermione shrieked, afraid to know what Ginny had seen.

"I won't tell you two if you don't know, then," she stated blandly, and walked down the stairs, leaving the two to their confused thoughts and their eyes trailing after Ginny with shocked expressed within their soulful eyes.

"To the Library we go, then?" Hermione asked Draco, finally breaking the awkward silence.

"Yes, we have a big mystery in our hands."

Once inside the library, both Heads searched through each aisle, searching for any books on dancing history. Skimming through a book on Magical dances, a name caught Hermione's eye. 'Dance of Love', it was called. Flipping through the pages, she saw that her name was written in the passage, as was Draco's. Her eyes widened as she read the article. It stated, "This dance had never been danced before. It was a dance that was invented by Kris Mac who charmed it, that only two people deeply in true love can dance. Until the year of 1996, when two students, Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger, students of Hogwarts, danced this beautiful dance, everyone who attempted to dance it with emotion had failed terribly…" The passage was at least fifteen pages long, but Hermione's vision focused on only those sentences.

Feeling Hermione's shocked presence, Malfoy read over her shoulder as she seemed to forget he was there. He felt shocked, yet a tad bit pleasured that even history proved them to be in love. _I'll be sure to pay better attention to loony Binns during the next class. Who knows, that idiot professor may actually have a point in his useless rants._ He thought as he smirked and studied Hermione's face. Her eyes still bulged out, and her hands were trembling as they held the leather bound book. She only seemed to awake from her hypnotized state when the heavy book collided to the floor with a loud thud. After that, she fainted dead away.

With a grin plastered on his face, Draco caught Hermione in his arms and carried her to their shared common room, and set her down on the sofa to sleep. He sat near the fireplace, watching the firelight play tricks with Hermione's face. _So she's in love with me too. I can't believe a small thing like that can make me smile like an idiot._ He thought, heaving a sigh. Whatever she did to him, he didn't know. He was almost spell bound. He too, fell into a sleep by the fireplace as the clock struck twelve.

That morning, the two awoke at the same time, catching each other's eyes. For a few moments of eternity, they just held each other's gaze, feeling passion pass through each other. Hermione looked away first, her face a brilliant tomato red and rushed into her room, remembering the events of last night. She took out a quill and a piece of parchment, hoping to drown in her writing.

"_Who I Am Hates What I've Become_

_All these years of changing,_

_It is what I'm becoming._

_I hate my own façade,_

_This is what God forbade._

_I'm young; yet withering_

_My time is already coming,  
forget everything I ever said;_

_Every drop of blood I ever bled._

_This tear can tell you the truth,_

_The honest death is the truth._

_I let down all my guards,_

_I'm blushing too hard for my own good,_

_All this life I was myself,_

_But now I'm left to brood,_

_And I realize what I've become,_

_Who I am hates what I've become._

_I'm dying in my own prison,_

_I built this prison of regrets and misery,_

_Don't make me repeat my history,_

_Or I'll die within my own memory._

_How can you tell?  
I've been hiding all along,  
but you see right through me,  
you can tell my every emotion.  
I trusted you every day,  
Told you my dark secrets,  
the story of my Life,  
Truly I thought you were the one._

_I let down all my guards,_

_I'm blushing too hard for my own good,_

_All this life I was myself,_

_But now I'm left to brood,_

_And I realize what I've become,_

_Who I am hates what I've become._

_  
My very heartache,  
Is for your change of heart,  
you're the only one for me,  
But I'm the wrong one for you.  
It's all these fears I have,  
of losing you from my Life,_

_I guess it's a nightmare come true,  
there's nothing I can do about it._

_I let down all my guards,_

_I'm blushing too hard for my own good,_

_All this life I was myself,_

_But now I'm left to brood,_

_And I realize what I've become,_

_Who I am hates what I've become._

_  
Today I slit my wrists,  
the blood falls in a graceful lake,  
Crimson has stained my death,  
I won't be returning.  
My spirit will snicker at you,  
As you think of me,  
You've made me like this,  
Can't turn back now._

_  
I'm gone, can't take me back,  
You can try for the rest of eternity,  
What you did is done,  
I'm already dead._

_I let down all my guards,_

_I'm blushing too hard for my own good,_

_All this life I was myself,_

_But now I'm left to brood,_

_And I realize what I've become,_

_Who I am hates what I've become._

_  
My grave can be your pillow,  
Sleep by me each night;  
I will haunt your nightmares  
for what you've done to me._

_  
Every second I thought I knew,  
I was wrong about you,  
You've been playing me,  
Since Day 1 I was a rag doll._

_  
How does it feel to be played?_

_Is it fun or painful?  
I'll make sure you die,  
just as painfully as I did._

_I let down all my guards,_

_I'm blushing too hard for my own good,_

_All this life I was myself,_

_But now I'm left to brood,_

_And I realize what I've become,_

_Who I am hates what I've become._

_  
If you think I'd just forget,  
you're dead wrong.  
My every single threat,  
I mean them all.  
What? Are you scared?  
Do you think I'm weak?  
Don't do that, my love,  
you're just hurting yourself.  
One day, I'll pay back.  
I can, and I will,   
your blood I swear to have,  
your death lays in my clutches._

_I let down all my guards,_

_I'm blushing too hard for my own good,_

_All this life I was myself,_

_But now I'm left to brood,_

_And I realize what I've become,_

_Who I am hates what I've become.  
_

_You made me this way,  
All these years you betrayed me,  
I hold this dagger to kill you,  
But I can't; I love you too much._

_I let down all my guards,_

_I'm blushing too hard for my own good,_

_All this life I was myself,_

_But now I'm left to brood,_

_And I realize what I've become,_

_Who I am hates what I've become."_

All the while, she was chewing the tip of her quill to a frayed feather as she thought of however much she hated Draco Lucius Malfoy. _I'm in denial…_she realized._ I am denying that it was a Dance of Love that proved our love for each other. I'm denying true love as it is. I've gone positively insane!_ And she drifted into a sleep with her hand cradling her head as she sat by the table which supported the paper that she had poured her feelings into.


	6. Skipping To The Big Valentine's Day

**Skipping to the Big Day**

Skipping to the big day: Valentine's Day, this is what happened in the morning. The rest of the days were spent in silence, as both tried to deny the feelings they felt for each other. However, they both have a little surprise for each other, and may time allow it to show itself.

Hermione dug from her trunk a pink MP3 player. She had charmed it so that it would work even in Hogwarts, and skimmed through her songs, until one of them caught her eye. The song was, "Your Not Alone" by Hitomi and Sora. She absolutely adored the song, not because it was popular, but because the lyrics were so…beautifully heartbreaking. Oblivious that a certain blonde Slytherin was listening to her from the common room, she sang loudly to the music that was being sent to her ears.

"I've walked so long  
I can't remember - where was my home?  
Their distance faces fade away  
I'm always on my own.  
I can show a smile  
It's not hard to do.  
I can have the strength to go on  
But sometimes I wanna let go of everything.  
When thoughtfulness is not their game  
I teach by giving love.  
High mountain seems higher endlessly  
when they're pebbles at your feet.  
And if you should still fall into despair,  
there is one thing left to believe  
I lie in your heart always.  
Nothing is braver than honesty  
My life is your faith in me.  
I'll be there when you need  
you don't have to hide from me.  
What you are feeling now  
I fill your soul.  
We will seek together destiny  
troubles have an end.  
we'll carry on hand in hand  
you're not alone.  
People searching desperately outside themselves  
caught up in thinking of whatever helped.  
And I'd forgotten too that love exists inside me as in those I wanted from  
I feel you now.  
I'll be there when you need  
we will live together.  
Nothing is in our way  
with trust in our soul.  
We will seek together destiny  
troubles have an end.  
We will carry on hand in hand  
We won't forget we have each other.  
Never!  
Love is in the hearts of all men  
you're not alone."

By the time she was done singing, the passion she put into the song made her eyes close in frustration and heartbreak. Tears had already begun sliding down her cheeks as she remembered the lyrics. It was just what described the friendship between her and Harry and Ron. They never understood a thing that went on in her life. They even accused her of fraternizing with an enemy, twice. She knew it was wrong to think so, but Hell, Malfoy had been a better friend to her the past month than Harry and Ron had ever been in the six years!

Suddenly, she heard a shuffling behind her, she wiped away her eyes, opened the portrait to her room. She realized that Malfoy had been there, standing and eavesdropping to her singing. Her cheeks quickly colored, and wondered if she had done the right thing in buying him a Valentine's present, as a friend, nothing more. Their gazes held, and Hermione finally looked away, walking to the Great Hall with Draco trailing behind her.

With uncomfortable silence, both Hermione and Draco picked at their food, using al their concentration to not looking at each other. Harry and Ron noticed this from Hermione, and asked her, "What's wrong, Mione? Is there a test that you couldn't study for today?"

Hermione stared at Harry, and then switched her gaze to the redheaded Ron. Neither could tell? Can neither of them tell how upset and disappointed in them she was? _I can't believe it, Malfoy is a better friend to me than they are. Not to mention I feel so… naked around Malfoy, it's as if he can see through my every façade. And that he knows that deep inside, I'm not a bookworm, I'm a bookworm evolving to something else within the pressure and expectations that I have to live up to, just to strive for the goal that I want. It hurts so much that they actually think that my sorrow comes from some academic challenge._ Tears threatening to fall, she pushed away her plate and mumbled something about going to the library, running half blindly to her common room.

Malfoy, seeing the scene that Pothead and Wonder Weasel had caused a scene, making Hermione run, against his better judgment, he ran after Hermione. "Granger!" He yelled after her, and groaned inwardly when she didn't respond. A strong rush of déjà vu rushed to him as she started to reach the stairway, where he had once shouted her true name. But this time, he let her reach their common room. He followed her in, not letting the portrait door swing close when he grabbed Hermione by the wrist, forcing her to look into his eyes. "They don't understand you, so why do you keep trying! What are you, dense!" He screamed to her face, trying to let her awaken and face reality. "You deserve so much MORE than them!" He felt a pang of guilt as he saw tears roll down from Hermione's face.

"I know," she whispered. She caught Draco by surprise when she wrapped her arms around his neck, crying into his shirt. She talked into his robes, and said, "The problem is that I don't understand why you can understand me so much more than they. Harry and Ron and I have a special bond, we, in fact, fought through so much rough times together. But somehow, they don't understand me at all, yet I can read them like a book."

Finally, Draco pulled Hermione's face and body away from himself and reached into his pocket. He reached for his wand as well, and said to a wrapped package, "Engorgio." The shrunken package grew to a size of a fist, and he handed it to Hermione. "I'm not sure if you'll like the present or not, but I saw this and bought it, because it reminded me of you," he said cautiously, "I'm only giving this to you as a friend," he quickly added when he saw Hermione's questioning glance.

To his surprise, Hermione reached into her pocket as well, and held out a shrunken present. She quickly restored its size and handed it to Draco, "I bought this to you as well, since it reminded me of you. It's a friendly present, although it's Valentine's Day." Both teenagers opened their respective presents, not realizing that certain pair of a brunette boy and a fiery headed boy was watching through the opened portrait hole at the exchange.

Draco stared at the ring. It was a manly ring, not a feminine one. It was carved out of silver, with a dragon's head. He smirked at the remembrance of their fight on New Years which had been the beginning their friendship. Looking up, he saw Hermione's eyes shining with happiness as she held the box containing a silver necklace, decorated with hanging green crystals with earrings to match. He stared back down at his present from Hermione, admiring the handiwork. Malfoy suppressed a chuckle when he saw what Hermione had engraved on the inside of the ring. "_I guess you prove to be an okay Dragon," _It said in small print.

Hermione fingered the necklace and earrings. They matched her tastes perfectly. Harry and Ron would have never been able to pick out the perfect present for her. Always, they had given her books and quills. Once, they even gave her a box of chocolate frogs, since they didn't know she despised chocolates. For Merlin's sake, her parents were dentists! She was never fond of the bitter taste, and wasn't too upset that her parents didn't allow her to eat such sweets. She smiled a bittersweet smile, remembering how she had forced a smile and choked down a chocolate frog when Ron had handed it to her two Christmases ago. She looked up, smiling at Draco's almost angelic face as he inspected the ring. She leaned forward, hoping to kiss him on the cheek.

At the last possible moment, Draco turned his head, his lips meeting with Hermione's. Both their eyes widened, and their bodies stiffened, before they realized the awkward position they were in. Their lips still connected, Draco put down the ring, and pulled Hermione closer to him, moving them out of their awkward state. Their eyes fluttered close as their warm lips massaged against each other's. Testing, he ran his tongue across Hermione's bottom lip, and allowed it to slip into her so-called virginal mouth. When they pulled away five minutes, both were breathless.

"That was supposed to be for your cheek," Hermione said, a blush coloring her cheeks.

"Well, I'm glad I moved when I did. I wouldn't want you devouring my cheek the way you did my tongue!" Malfoy teased. He chuckled when red tainted Hermione's pale cheek even more. But he heard a rustle soon after, followed by a gasp. Turning to face the opened portrait hole, he saw…

"HARRY! RON! I CAN EXPLAIN!" Hermione shouted.

"No, we have seen enough. Hermione Jane Granger, do you really think we were born yesterday? You don't have to explain anything. We understand. You want Malfoy? Have him. Don't come crawling back to us when he dumps you." Harry responded coldly, daggers slicing the distance from he and Hermione. With that, he and Ron spun around and dramatically walked away, leaving a crying Hermione in the embrace of Draco Malfoy.

"POTTER! WEASLY! YOU ARE HARDLY ONES TO TALK! POTHEAD, YOU'RE WITH PANSY, FOR MERLIN'S SAKE! AND WEASLY, IT ISN'T AS SECRETIVE AS YOU THINK! I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT YOU ARE IN LOVE WITH BLAISE, AND IS A HOMOSEXUAL WIZARD!" Malfoy shouted after the two. Harry turned around; glaring while Ron's face matched the colour of his hair.

"Don't you **dare** talk about what you don't know, for I am not just WITH Pansy, I am in LOVE with her. As for Ron, I'm sure he isn't gay. At least the two of us have hearts and souls."

"I have a heart as well, and a soul stronger than yours. And if Weasel isn't in love with Blaise, then why is his face even redder than that angry mop of hair he has?" Draco challenged, and carried Hermione's crying state to the couch, closing the portrait on the way. "Hush…Hermione. Don't cry; you don't deserve them. They are nothing without you, and with you crying in my arms, I feel weak. I can't stand up straight, and it isn't because you're heavy. I feel something when I'm around you. I feel like my heart is there, and my soul isn't exactly gone. It's painful to realize, that I still have a heart and soul." Once again, his fingers brushed away Hermione's tears, as he embraced her, "There's something special about you, and I'm not about to let you go because a toilet and an elongated weasel had insulted us."

If she weren't crying as hard, Hermione would have chuckled at his crack about toilets and an elongated weasel. It was true that Harry used the loo more often than anyone else, and Ron was tall for his age. She managed a tiny smile and said, "The dance is today. Let's practice the routine, get the Great Hall ready, and then get ready."

Wiping away stray tears, Draco stood up, and obliged to her wishes. Smiling, he thought, _Girls… they take so long to get ready…_

Within seconds, they were in the empty Great Hall, left alone for them to decorate and practice in. Their bodies moved with ease to the music and kept elegant posture. Once again, the last dip came to an awkward moment. Their lips could only be so far apart, and their eyes can only gaze into each other's for so long. Both fought not to lean forward and capture the other's lips within their own. Suddenly, they crashed down to reality, and realized who they really were.

"Sorry," Hermione whispered.

"I know you love me too."

"I know."

"So why won't you give me a chance?"

"There's a difference between love and acceptance."

"So let us be heart broken this last time together."

"What do you mean?"

"I know that I would never have another heart break, because you are the only one for me."

Draco's words clung to the air, like a mist that cannot be lifted. Their eyes were locked in an angry battle, hoping for the other to betray them. Hermione only wished to find a bit of humour in the words he said, and Malfoy looked for any bit of surrender within those chocolate brown eyes.

Both were disappointed, and all that Hermione could think of to end the echoing silence was to start preparing for that night. Streamers, glittery powder, and elegant designs were made. A potion was painted onto the walls, letting the most prized memories be seen to the person. A giant red snake and green lion was raised, in honour of the two rival Houses. The two stared at their artwork, admiring at how everything seemed to fit beautifully. They had done it themselves, without the help of the Prefects, as Dumbledore had advised. And this…was just like a dreamland.

Turning around, they locked the doors to prepare themselves for the dance. Hermione conjured a soft forest green material, which almost looked metallic. With her skilful hands, she drew the perfect picture, for the perfect dress, for the perfect date: Draco Malfoy. She felt the perfect dress didn't need to be bought from some fancy-schmancy Italian store, but beautiful and elegant looking because the design came from the heart. She slipped it on, and started to apply on makeup.

In the room across from hers, Malfoy was having a dilemma. He couldn't find the right dress robes. Dress robes? He had plenty. The problem was that he didn't have the right one. All of them looked nice, but they were too… fancy. There was no simple dress robe for him. Everything had to be expensive. Hermione wasn't that kind of girl. She went for someone who was more than an outer shell. Sighing, he decided to change a bit of his robes.

Finally, choosing a maroon tuxedo, he carefully snipped off the ruffles and replaced the golden buttons with plastic. He smirked. The tux was perfect. _A muggle suit for a muggle date, _he thought. Life was just the best. He tore off his robes and changed into the dress robes. Checking himself out in the mirror, he walked out to the common room.

He stared at her. That was all he could do. The material hid her body well, but showed her off at the same time. The green made her brown hair seem earthier than ever, pun not intended. For once, her hair was not unruly, and was spilling to her waist. The dress had a slanted waistline, complimenting her long and thin structure. That uneven frill seemed to be teasing him, telling him he can see a bit of thigh on one leg, but he'll never see the other thigh. The small glints of silver that the material gave every now and then sparkled and made a sort of radiation come from her. At last, her make up was to be applied. It wasn't too glopped and slimy, like Pansy. She really knew how to apply just the right amount of make up. The eye shadow faded from silver to green. Her pale complexion was adorned with a faint pink blush, and those lips were made to pout with the lip-gloss. But he realized then, that he didn't love her because she was beautiful. She was beautiful because he loved her.

She stared. That was all she could do. The red set off his eyes and hair, letting it be visible from miles away. And the smile that he had, as if it were just for her, was to die for. For once, he wasn't dressed in something so expensive, and he seemed humane. This was something totally unlike the other Draco Malfoy she knew. This Malfoy looked like he cared about her. In fact, she _knew _he cared.

In her daze of staring at Draco, they suddenly heard a knock on their door. In came Headmaster Dumbledore, that dirty schemer. Without hesitating, he said, "I would like the band to be able to play in a concert held for St. Patrick's Day. We are having visitors from Ireland, and I would like to let them hear some of our talented students play in a band."

"Yes, Headmaster," Hermione said, dutifully while in her mind, she was replaying their vindictive plan to get back at this lunatic.

"Yes, sir," Malfoy replied, smirking at the images of exclaiming to the student body about the insane Headmaster who runs this bloody school.

With a wise nod, Dumbledore turned around, shutting the portrait door behind him. Draco looked over at the auburn girl beside him, and held out his arm. "Shall we?"

Hermione stole his trademark smirk, returning it with her own, and took his arm. Mocking him, she stated, "Well, shall we, Mr. Malfoy?" And together, they walked down to the Great Hall.

On the walls, Hermione stood dazed, trying to memorize all of what had happened to her. Her best memories, was with Draco. It was when he hugged her, when they sang together. Heck, when they were just fooling around together was being played in the illusions before her. Without realizing it, she snuggled closer to Malfoy. Hermione inhaled his sweet scent. It was a manly sweet scent, not like lilies or roses. She loved how he smelled, she loved it when he smiled, she loved it when he put his arm around her, and she loved the way he looked in maroon. She loved the way he was now. The Draco that had tormented her was gone, only a memory. This Draco was a precious treasure.

Draco stared at the walls. All was about Hermione. This year, he'd realized how asinine he'd been, trying to be who he wasn't, all because he was so keen on listening to his father, letting Lucius take control of him. But now that he was in Azkaban, there was nothing to stop him from loving her. He smirked, remembering when they had first met in the train. He'd already liked her then, but his heart came tumbling down when he realized she was a Mudblood. The look on Weasel's face was priceless when he'd called her that to her face the first time. Looking to his side, he saw Hermione stare at the walls. "So what do you see?"

Hermione looked up to Malfoy. With a smirk of her own, she decided to play him a bit. "I see the time when Ron and I kissed. Also, when he and I were holding hands."

"Is there anything about me?" Draco asked, jealousy already tinting his thoughts.

"Well… let's have a look-see." Hermione pretended to look around, trying to find a trace of him, "Oh, no. I'm sorry, Malfoy, you don't seem to take part in my best times in Hogwarts."

Jealousy made his blood boil. Roughly, he grabbed Hermione, crashing his lips on hers. But once their lips made contact, he slowed down, gently kissing her. When she gasped, he dove his tongue inside, tasting her lips, her tongue, and every part of mouth.

Hermione gasped when he so skilfully kissed her. _Forget that cover. I'm his to keep._ She thought as she kissed him back, biting his bottom lip a bit. With her hands, she dug into his scalp, tugging lightly at his hair. She was so surprised when he finally pulled away from her.

"What do you see now?" Malfoy asked her. Panting and his mouth bruised. His cheeks were red and his hair tussled from Hermione's tugging.

"Your jealous face," Hermione said, giggling nervously. She brushed some strands of blonde hair away from Draco's face. His face was crimson red. She could only imagine how red her own face was.

"Wait, you're playing me aren't you? Weasel complained the other day how you'd never even kissed him on the cheek before! And besides, he's homosexual, wanting Blaise…" Malfoy drawled.

"Ron… and ZABINI?" Hermione shrieked in horror and amusement. Never would she have thought that Ron would fall in love with a guy, and a Slytherin at that! Those two friends of hers, they were hypocrites. Harry loved Pansy, and Ron loved Blaise, and somehow she wasn't allowed to love Draco.

Kissing Hermione softly on the cheek, he murmured, "Yes, Mione. It seems that Slytherdor or Grifflyn, however you want to call it, are all the rage at the moment."

They were interrupted when Dumbledore stood on a platform. Looking around, the couple realized that other couples had already poured into the Great Hall, admiring their work. "Now, may the Head Girl and Head Boy please come up to start the first dance?"

Hermione and Draco smiled wickedly as they walked arm in arm to the platform. Hermione gasped when she saw that Blaise and Ron seemed to be dates. "Come on, let's dance, Mr. Malfoy."

"Ready when you're ready, Ms. Granger-Future-Malfoy."

"Draco! How could you say something like that?" Hermione hissed softly as the music started.

"You know it'll happen sooner or later. And then there will be little kids running around the Malfoy Manor…"

"Oh you… it's almost time for the plan."

And they danced… and danced. Finally, the final dip came. Someone levitated them up, so that they were floating and everyone could see the finale of the dance. Whistles, shrieks, screams, and applause rose from the audience: their fellow students.

When the ruckus had finally died down, Hermione and Draco prepared for their vindictive speech. But the time never came. Another uproar came up, as everyone was urging them to kiss. Looking at each other, they sighed defeated. And for the second time, Draco lowered his head to Hermione, his lips devouring hers. As for their plan, well…? It was long forgotten because the kiss was just that much better than their well-planned revenge.


	7. Epilogue

Epilogue 

Hi, I'm Hermione Granger. I am now here to tell you the rest of the story. Well, what can I say? By the end of the school year, our band was well known worldwide to both wizarding and muggle world. We were a huge hit. But we realized that we're just children, we can't all just ditch school and become rock stars. I became a Medic in St. Mungo's and Draco became an Auror. That kind of made Ron and Harry finally accept him. In fact, the three of them are very close friends, always working together.

Ron and Blaise did come clean with us, telling us about their… differently wired hormones. Dumbledore himself married them, and they've adopted a Vietnamese wizard orphan. I always thought that their adopted child looked like their child. Jake, the adopted child, has Ron's rusty red hair and Blaise's rather tanned hue. Those greenish blue eyes of his are the perfect mix of the two.

Harry and Pansy had a devastating separation when Mrs. Parkinson murdered Pansy. But Harry is doing fairly well. He has a lot on his mind to take him away from the pain of losing Pansy. Of course, he'll always remember her. In fact, he goes to her grave every month, proposing to her spirit for their every monthly anniversary. He had engraved in the rock with his wand:

"_I won't love you forever. Forever never seems to last long enough. No matter separated by Heaven and the skies, I will love you. I don't care whatever may happen, but my heart will always belong to you. I will always remember you in my dreams; I'll remember you when I awake. I'll remember you anytime, anywhere. Don't worry about me; I'll be looking for you in the stars. I can always feel you. Without you, I am nothing."_ I find it sorrowful, sweet, and beautiful, don't you?

I know you're probably wondering about whatever the bloody Hell happened to Draco and I. To make a long story short, we shared a room even while school was in session. I'm not saying I was pregnant, but we acted as a married couple already. Of course, Love always has an ending, but let's not talk about that.

At the moment, Malfoy Manor has a set of 10 year-old triplets with honey brown eyes and platinum brown hair. One of the triplets is a girl, and the other two are boys. Anna, the girl, feels Jordan and Jesse are always picking on her, but she always has a way of getting back at them. They're all so adorably sweet, having inherited a love for books and flying. All the house elves are fully clothed and have a fairly high pay. Need I tell you the wife and husband of the household? I get the feeling, that _this_ love, isn't going to end for a long time… I always did think that there is a thin line between Draco and I, but now, I don't think so. And if there **was** a line, it disappeared a long time ago.


End file.
